No cake cutting

Do you have a wedding website? If so, are you listing your menu on there? If you are, maybe you could add a little blurb stating you are having a donut bar in lieu of a cake?

Otherwise maybe your DJ can make a small announcement about the donut bar. That way it brings your guests attention to it.

If I saw that an no cake sitting out I would assume there is not going to be a cake. It would not annoy me at all!

If I was a guest and didn't see a cake on the table, I would assume there's no cake.

It might be obvious that you're not cutting a cake if there's no cake on display. All the weddings I've been to have had a cake on display. If I were at a wedding where I didn't see a cake but I did see a bunch of donuts, I'd assume there wasn't cake and I would not anticipate a cake cutting.

Hi Shan. I did not know that the cake cutting was a cue for the winding down of an eve! Truly. I always photographed the Bride and Groom cutting it prior to dinner or just after they ate so it could be served as dessert. Either way, if there is a cake to cut, the DJ has always announced it so guests could take a moment to enjoy the event. If there isn't a cake to cut, nothing was mentioned to the guests. I still took images of the Bride and Groom by their cake/pies/cookies/dessert bar but the DJ never mentioned that there "would not" be a cake cutting. I think you're fine with not mentioning anything and letting word of mouth take care of it.

Congrats and best wishes!

No cake would annoy me. But as pp's have said, no one will expect you to cut an invisible cake.

@BrideMeg yes we do have a website with out menu listed, that's a great place to add it thank you. No DJ though. hahah I hope my guests have the same common sense you do!

Maybe the DJ can just announce for guests to help themselves to a dessert and that will be the cue.

I didn't know cutting the cake was cue that the night was ending. I thought it came shortly after the meal?

I don't think people think like that about the cake cutting anymore. We cut our cake but didn't make any sort of announcement. Most people didn't even know and we did it just for pictures. I don't think our parents even knew. And we did it right after dinner so the kitchen could cut it up and serve it for dessert.

And now I want donuts!

Thanks. I figured it would take care of itself, no cake no cake cutting! Overthinking keeping everyone happy I guess. And sorry if I mispoke about the "night winding down" - what I meant was it was my understanding that after the cake is cut is the "appropriate" (Ill use that term loosely since guests obviously can leave whenever they want) time for those to leave who aren't planning to stay for the whole reception. (Or guests "making an appearance" - I've been guilty of this! Lol watching the clock like when can I leave, jk.

They're not coming to watch you cut cake, they're coming to party! I wouldn't worry about it - cake or no cake, it'll still be a wedding

@maria h! Yes! Thank you! We are getting to the party aspect ASAP. Short ceremony, short cocktail time (not even an hour) then straight to dinner, drinks and dancing! No activities planned other than that

I would just make sure to have the DJ or someone announce that the dessert table was open/dessert was served. I think people will get the hint that there's no cutting.

I would not care if you had cake or not. I would make sure you had some sort of dessert but the cake cutting is not a huge deal to me, nor is the cake.

When are you serving wedding donuts? Are they part of the late lunch or dessert for after dinner? Late lunch is generally the cue/ when you serve cake, so perhaps you could hold off on the donuts until around the time late lunch would be served (if you aren't doing late lunch)

I feel like people don't necessarily expect cake anymore. There are so many dessert options that seem to be taking over that I think guests are just happy to have dessert.

I don't think people will be annoyed if you're worried about it just do something that's similar like share a donut like you would a piece of cake. I think people are just used to seeing certain things and get confused if they dont lol

Are you going to feed each other donuts? Otherwise, what will be the indicator that its okay for guests to serve themselves from the dessert table?

Shan, I do remember the first wedding I ever attended. I was about 9 and just as we were leaving my Mom and the Bride made sure my sister and I got a piece of cake to take home. We were told to put it under our pillows that night and we would dream of our own wedding. I was SO excited and couldn't wait to get home and go to bed!!! I woke up in the morning to cake and icing all over my pillow and in my hair!!!!!!! HA!

Yes I love all the alternatives to a traditional cake, people come up with some really great ideas. Thanks to you ladies I feel good just not worrying about it but @ Heather you summed it up perfectly. It seems some people are really thrown not having certain aspects at a wedding...as if it makes it any less of a wedding. Glad the consensus is that cake is not one of them!